Vīrabhadra was an incarnation of the god Śiva as a fierce warrior, hence, why these two poses are often called “Warrior Pose.” A more accurate translation would be Vīrabhadra’s pose. In Vīrabhadrāsana A, press the forward heel into the floor and allow the forward knee to come over the foot while stretching the back leg. Aim to keep that back leg as straight as much as possible throughout this posture. As with Utkaṭāsana, draw in the lower abdomen and breathe deeply and smoothly into the chest, lengthening the upper spine and neck in order to take the head back safely in order to gaze toward the thumbs. Try not to adjust the position of the feet as you move to the B variation. Focus on opening the hips and spreading the arms away from one another while continuing to breathe deeply and evenly. Vīrabhadrāsana brings flexibility to the ankles and hips while strengthening the legs and the spinal muscles and is believed to purify the generative organs.

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